Awesome History

We’ve had at least one can of WD-40 in our house for as long as we can remember. This spray-on lubricant has gotten us out of numerous jams over the years, from stuck screws to squeaky door hinges. But where did this miracle substance get its start? Layers delves into the history and original purpose of this incredibly useful invention.

None of the computers you’re about to see are real, but they do capture the essence of computer design over the decades. This animated short from evolution.hub0 uses AI tech to illustrate the evolution of personal computers from the 1970s through the 2020s and beyond. It’s far from accurate, but still a neat watch.

The Tower Bridge in London, England, is one of the world’s most famous structures. But there’s more to it than just a couple of buildings and a road. Illustrator and animator Jared Owen takes us on an in-depth tour of the bridge, including the complex machinery that allows it to open and close so ships can pass through on the River Thames.

If you used a computer in the 1990s or early 2000s, you’re likely familiar with that screensaver that turns your screen into an aquarium. LGR dives into the deep end of the aquarium with a history lesson on the popular screensaver and how it evolved over the years. The first time we saw digital fish swimming around was using After Dark on an early Macintosh.

It’s 3000 years in the future, and somehow, The History Channel is still cranking out the same content. What kind of Ancient Secret Mysteries will they encounter? Wizards with Guns takes the controls of a remote archeological rover and drives it into the hidden chamber of some dude still living in his parents’ basement.

Disney has been wowing theme park visitors with its Audio-Animatronics since 1961. Defunctland’s Kevin Perjurer dives deep into the history of Disney’s marvelous machines in this documentary that explores humans’ fascination with creating mechanical replicas of living creatures and starts long before the Enchanted Tiki Room and the Hall of Presidents opened.

Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar had one obsession bigger than money and power: football. David Arrowsmith’s gripping non-fiction book uncovers the story of how fortunes were won and lost when cartels controlled the Columbian football empire. Officials were coerced, umpires were murdered, and defeated players paid with their lives.

(PG-13: Language) Mark Manson – yes, that Mark Manson – traveled to the California desert to visit Brent Underwood. Brent bought a deserted mining town in 2019, originally just for kicks and the occasional visit. He wound up escaping there when the pandemic struck. But he eventually committed to rehabilitating the town.

Wired took a break from tech for a verrrry special Tech Support episode. They enlisted historian Angus Konstam to answer crowdsourced questions about pirates. Learn about the origin of the pirate accent, some of the most successful or cruelest pirates, their customs and pastimes, and more in this eyepatch-opening Q&A session.

(PG-13) From the late ’80s to the early 2000s, MTV was the vehicle for musical artists to spread not just their work but their creative wings as well. Polyphonic recounts the trends along with lots of trivia from the golden age of the channel. Big-budget short films, raw performances, and the early days of CGI all coexisted and entertained two generations of viewers.

The Ford Mustang is one of the most iconic models in the automotive world. But Rare Cars proves that it could have had an even more drastic influence, thanks to their list of Mustang concepts that never went into production. From the Mustang 1 concept car to the bulbous 1990s Mach III, these prototypes imagined distinctly different Mustangs.

A special gold foil edition of Dorothy’s mesmerizing poster that illustrates the history of rock and roll music. The print connects the dots between more than 1400 musicians, songwriters, and producers from the pioneering days of rock through the 21st century. Printed on deep black uncoated paper and fits in standard 60cm x 80cm frames.

If the election isn’t nerve-wracking enough for you, Kurzgesagt is here to fry your sense of fear to oblivion. They tackle Project Sundial – the most powerful nuclear weapon ever conceived. Construction began at the height of the Cold War, but thankfully, it was never finished. Otherwise, the US would have what is essentially a nuclear war in a capsule.

Despite many people despising the fake, sugary flavor of candy corn, it’s still a wildly popular Halloween treat. Mental Floss explores the history of this divisive, tri-colored candy and why it’s so closely associated with the holiday. We never thought about it before, but candy corn has real corn in it, sorta.

Any day is a good day to enjoy a bowl of Count Chocula or Franken Berry cereal. It’s part of a complete breakfast! Dan Larson of Toy Galaxy looks at the strange and sometimes controversial history of General Mills’ spooky and sugary Monster Cereals, including the elusive Yummy Mummy. Since this video was released, Carmella Creeper was added to the mix.

We love hot sauce as long as it adds flavor and doesn’t wreck our taste buds. In this video, Weird History Food delves into the origins of the spicy condiment and how it spread like wildfire to achieve global popularity. While hot peppers can have health benefits, they can also be dangerous.